One of the most common questions we get are:

• Can I drink coffee?
• What about tea?
• Can I have an occasional glass of alcohol?

The good news: we are not against drinking coffee, tea and/or alcohol — in reasonable amounts!

The bad news: we do have a few 'rules'. If you can't tolerate these without getting unpleasant symptoms (aka triggering inflammation in the body), then we do recommend avoiding them until you feel better.

So let's talk about each of these in a bit more details.

COFFEE & TEA

During the Reset and Supersafe diets, we recommend avoiding tea, including black tea, herbal tea and green tea, as they are very high in salicylates. Black tea and green tea are also high in oxalates.

Chai tea is one of the worst, as it's also very high in histamine.

However, because decaf coffee is low in food chemicals (salicylates & oxalates) and we know that coffee can bring a lot of joy in some people's lives (& this is important too) we allow one cup of decaf coffee during the Reset and Supersafe diets... if you can't go without them!

Once you transition to the Safe diet, then you could experiment with one cup of weak coffee daily and see how that goes.

We believe that one cup per day is okay for most people. However, if you notice that you feel jittery after drinking coffee or tea, or have an upset stomach, it would be better to avoid it completely, at least until you feel better.

If you're used to drinking lots of coffee and/or tea, we recommend you take a few days to progressively lower your consumption before starting on the Reset diet. This will minimise the usual withdrawal symptoms such as headaches and irritability.

Reduce by 1/4 to 1/2 cup every day until you are drinking a maximum of one cup per day.

TOP TIPS

• Choose a good quality organic coffee.
• Drink before midday to avoid any impact on your sleep quality.
• Coffee can irritate the stomach and affect blood sugar in some people. Drinking on a full stomach limits those negative effects.
• Coffee will stimulate your bowels... a good thing for those of you with constipation! Maybe not such good news if you suffer from diarrhea...
• If you notice that you don't always react to coffee and that some brands seem better than others, then it could be that it's mould in certain brands that is an issue for you, rather than the actual coffee. Try to find a brand that is single origin and roasted locally to reduce this potential issue. Certain brands, such as the bulletproof coffee, claim to be mould free. Leisa has found that the Montville brand in Australia does not cause mould symptoms.
• Sometimes it's not the coffee, but what you put in the coffee/tea that's problematic. At the beginning of the program, we will recommend eliminating dairy for a while as well as sugar. Sadly, we also do not recommend any of the classic dairy replacements (such as almond milk or soy milk), as they can be just as problematic as dairy, and let's be honest, often don't taste very good in coffee. Rice, hemp, flaxseed and coconut milk (with no added sugar or additives) in small amounts are the safest for most people, but might not be for everyone. Macadamia nut milk could also be an option for those who can tolerate it, and it's the best tasting one! Or, you might want to try a bulletproof coffee!

BULLETPROOF COFFEE

The bulletproof coffee was made popular by Dave Asprey. It's a great way to have a black coffee that actually tastes delicious and creamy, and gives you a boost of energy as a bonus. Many people now choose to replace their breakfast with a bulletproof coffee.

Here is how to make it, in a nutshell:

1. Brew 1 cup (8-12 ounces) of coffee in your usual way, using good quality organic coffee beans. You can also make an long espresso, if you are lucky enough to own a good espresso machine!
2. Add 1 tsp to 2 tbsps of oil of your choice. Good options are coconut oil, ghee, butter, or if you want to get fancy, MCT oil or brain octane oil. It's best to start small with 1 teaspoon and work your way up to 1-2 tablespoons over several days.
3. Mix it all in a blender for 20-30 seconds until it looks like a foamy latte.
4. Drink and enjoy ;-)

ALCOHOL

Many people with chronic gut health issues (and other chronic health issues) react to alcohol for various reasons.

TOP REASONS FOR REACTIONS:

• Sulfites & Preservatives
• Histamine and/or Salicylates sensitivity
• Issues with detoxification (too toxic... don't worry, we will address this in the program!)

We would recommend abstaining, at least at the beginning of your journey, during the Reset and Supersafe diets.

However, as you transition the Safe diet, a glass here and there is acceptable, especially if you don't notice a negative reaction. We only recommend gin and vodka as safe options during the Safe diet.

Once you progress through the Adventurous diet and know that you do NOT have food chemical sensitivities (histamine & salicylates), you might be able to experiment with a small glass of dry wine on occasion.

WHAT TO AVOID UNTIL YOU BECOME A DAREDEVIL 😈

• Beer
• Cider
• Sweet wine / fortified wine
• Cocktails

But remember that alcohol should always be consumed in moderation.